IBM Mainframe Forum

Hello,

I've been wondering what fundamental difference is to be accounted between reference books (e.g. MVS JCL reference) and user's guide ?

What differences should drive my choice in either this one or the other ?

Thank you

the z/OS MVS JCL User' s Guide
https://www-304.ibm.com/servers/resourc ... 0_v2r3.pdf
the z/OS MVS JCL Rference
https://www-304.ibm.com/servers/resourc ... 0_v2r3.pdf

the About this Document sections should give You enough hints

These users thanked the author enrico-sorichetti for the post:

RalphEagle (Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:15 pm)

I would say that the reference manual tells you the syntax of commands etc, and the user guide shows you how to use it. So start looking in the user guide for a sample, then refer to the reference manual for details. The above mentioned manuals illustrates that very nicely.

These users thanked the author willy jensen for the post:

RalphEagle (Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:15 pm)

Honestly, the two 'About this document' sections say almost the same.

Reference:
'This document describes the job control tasks needed to enter jobs into the z/OS®
operating system, control the system's processing of jobs, and request the resources
needed to run jobs. The document also contains a chapter that describes "started
tasks" and how to set them up. To perform job control or started tasks,
programmers code "job control statements." This document describes how to code
these statements, which include: v Job control language (JCL) statements
v Job entry control language (JECL) statements, which encompass: – Job entry subsystem 2 (JES2) control statements – Job entry subsystem 3 (JES3) control statements
This document is designed as a reference document, to be used while coding the
statements. It contains some introductory material. Full explanations of the job
control tasks are presented in a companion document, z/OS MVS JCL User's Guide, SA23-1386'

User's guide:
This book describes the job control tasks needed to enter jobs into the operating
system, control the system's processing of jobs, and request the resources needed to
run jobs. To perform the tasks, programmers code job control statements. This
book describes how to use these statements, which consist of: v Job control language (JCL) statements
v Job entry subsystem 2 (JES2) control statements
v Job entry subsystem 3 (JES3) control statements
This book is designed as a user's guide, to be used when deciding how to perform
job control tasks. It does not describe how to code the statements. For an
introduction to the statements and for coding information, see the companion
book, z/OS MVS JCL Reference.

It is very misleading that the both are very similar, except for some parts (highlighted in italic). In short, we should understand that if you are looking for information on elements you are actually coding, go for Reference, else go for User's guide if you need to rather perform a task. Theory and practice, grossly.

Thank you !

Frankly I cannot see where the two say almost the same things.
reread slowly and THINK, they are quite different... IMNSHO

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